


Settling Differences

by youhavebeenwarmed



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: M/M, Non-Consensual Spanking, Spanking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-26
Updated: 2016-11-26
Packaged: 2018-09-02 07:03:01
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,087
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8655241
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/youhavebeenwarmed/pseuds/youhavebeenwarmed
Summary: Jim is caught while investigating Arkham and is forced to spend the night in Ed’s cell.Ed doesn’t know when to leave well enough alone.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Please note the tags. This contains non-consensual spanking. If this is your thing, please read on! XD

 

 

The cell door clanged shut behind Jim. Professor Strange’s footsteps retreated down the hall, the memory of his last words threatening to make the bile rise in Jim’s throat.

_“Think of these living arrangements as a way to solve your differences. A way to make amends with those who you have wronged in the past.”_

And while it was easy to see how that applied to the man Jim had just been locked into a cell with, he couldn’t think of a single way in which he’d wronged Nygma.

“Just so we’re clear,” Ed said, tilting his head back as if to emphasize his height, “this is my room. I was here first. I will be making all the rules.”

Murderer or not, it was one of the most unconvincing speeches of its kind Jim had heard. And having been in the army and Blackgate, he’d heard a lot.

Ed must be nervous to try something like this. Ordinarily Jim might have enjoyed that thought, considered it payback even, except that Ed had a history of going overboard whenever he felt threatened.

Ed’s eyes narrowed as if he could sense Jim’s skepticism. “And don’t think it’s a matter of might makes right. I have connections. My bad side is not the side you want to be on.”

Jim considered pointing out that Ed had been transferred to the cell the same time he had, and thus had no real claim on anything. Or he could do the mature thing and diffuse the situation. Explain that he’d only gotten caught while investigating Arkham, and they didn’t have the authority to hold him for long. Ed would be free of him soon enough, so there was no reason to resort to such control tactics.

But the mere idea of saying _anything_ to make Ed feel better rubbed him the wrong way. So instead, Jim stepped past him to survey the room. There were two beds, against opposite walls, with a small table between them. The blankets were dingy but surprisingly clean. At least the more superficial conditions had improved since he’d been stationed here as a guard.

Jim decided to pick the bed on the right.

“That’s mine,” Ed said the moment Jim set his bag on it.

Jim wasn’t surprised.

Ignoring Ed, he began to unpack the “care” bag he’d been given. A cup, a toothbrush, a spare pair of socks…it wasn’t much.

“I’m not joking.” Ed’s frustration was clearly growing, enough that a hint of a whine had worked its way into his tone. “I don’t sleep well that close to the vent.”

It was difficult to be concerned with how well the man who had once framed him for murder slept.

As Jim began to arrange his things on the desk, he felt Ed move behind him, uncomfortably close, and when Ed spoke again his voice made the hairs rise on the back of Jim’s neck.

“I don’t just have influence in here,” Ed said. “I can make things happen on the outside as well. To certain people that you hold—”

Jim spun, seizing Ed by the front of his shirt and shoving him against the wall. “Don’t even think of finishing that.”

Ed smirked. “I see I found your button.”

That was it, Jim was done. Ed had had this coming for a long time.

Jim drew back his fist, and Ed inhaled so sharply it was almost a squeak, raising a hand to shield his face.

“I’ll be many colors before finally I fade, I tell a tale of how I was made!”

Jim blinked at him, hesitating. “Really? You’re going to tell a riddle _now_?”

“Professor Strange gave us orders to get along. If I show up for breakfast bruised he’s going to know you failed your side of the task.”

“Worth it.” _Probably._

“It won’t be,” Ed continued, talking fast. “If you’re considered a problem patient, they do shock therapy. And other things. Worse things. Hypnosis. Nightmare inducing drugs. I’ve seen the results. It’s not pretty.”

As irritating as the thought was, Ed had a point. Jim didn’t want to draw any negative attention to himself. Harvey and Lucius would be working to get him out of here, and if he made waves, it would only make it harder for them.

Ed’s eyes were assessing him, and he must have seen something encouraging in Jim’s expression, for he relaxed slightly, lowering his hand.

“You saw what they did to Penguin,” Ed added, a faint smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Jim _really_ wanted to hit him. He forced himself to take a breath.

“So you see,” Ed preened, his regular smugness returning as Jim lowered his fist. “You can’t do anything to me.”

“How about this, you stay out of my way, I’ll stay out of yours.”

“Oh please, as if I have anything to worry about from you.”

“Ed—”

“We both know a man of your persuasion can’t accomplish anything without throwing his weight around—and that’s kind of hard to do that when you can’t leave marks.”

Jim froze, his fingers had started to release their grip but now they grew tight again.

“Actually, you have a point.” Jim smiled and was rewarded with Ed’s frown of confusion.

“What point?”

Jim released Ed’s shirt and took hold of his arm instead.

Ed glared at him. “You’re wearing out my patience—let me go!” He tried to pull away as Jim marched him over to one of the beds.

Jim sat down on the mattress and pulled Ed facedown across his lap. Not wanting to give the other man room to maneuver, he pinned one of Ed’s wrists to the small of his back and trapped his legs with one of his own. Ed was tricky, and while it was hard to picture him with a shiv, it was better not to take the chance.

“What do you think you’re doing?” Ed demanded, trying to escape Jim’s hold and failing. “You can’t—Unhand me!”

“I’m doing what you told me to. I’m leaving bruises where they can’t be seen.”

“What brui—” Ed inhaled sharply as Jim’s hand descended hard on the seat of his striped pants.

The sudden cessation of Ed's voice was so satisfying, that Jim was inspired to do it again.

Ed jerked, his back going rigid for an instant before he twisted to look over his shoulder at Jim.

“Are you _spanking_ me?” he asked, incredulous.

“Just figuring that out?” Jim brought his hand down in another sharp smack. “And here I thought you were a genius.”

“This is—you can’t do this!”

Jim swatted him harder and was satisfied by the yelp it produced. Not that he expected to be able to keep Ed quiet for long. Once the shock wore off, he was certain he would be back to making threats. Jim got the feeling _those_ wouldn’t stop until he ran out of breath.

And sure enough, as Jim settled into a steady rhythm, his palm landing smack after smack on Ed’s ass, Ed started up again.

“If you don’t stop—ah—you’re playing a dangerous—ow—you’ll regret the day you—ah, _stop_!” Ed’s final word ended on a slightly higher note, as if panic was starting to find a place alongside his outrage.

Ed must not have liked hearing the shift in his own voice, for the next time it came out it was practically a growl. “In the morning I’m reporting you to Strange.”

Jim paused, and Ed let out a relieved breath.

“I knew you weren’t completely stupid,” Ed said, he took another breath, as if to calm himself. “And believe me, you don’t want to make this any worse for yourself than it’s already going to be.”

Jim shouldn’t have been surprised, he’d listened to countless criminals make similar threats to him. He’d just thought Ed had known better.

“Well in that case…” Jim slid his fingers into the waistband of Ed’s pants. “I better make this count.”

“What? No!” Ed struggled as the fabric was yanked down to expose skin that, for all his complaining, was still mostly pale. From the amount of fuss he’d been making, Jim had expected a lot worse. Apparently, he’d been going too easy on him.

“I meant, let me go and I _won’t_ tell him!”

Jim snorted. “I don’t believe anything you say.”

He resumed spanking Ed on his now bared ass, harder than before.

Ed hissed and kicked his legs, although neither did him any good.

“Make sure not to leave any of this out when you report me,” Jim said conversationally. “I’m sure you’ll be eager to tell Strange all about it.”

“Ok, ok, _ok._ ” Ed was writhing now, rocking his hips as if that would throw off Jim’s aim, force his hand to connect with a less sore spot. “You can stop. This isn’t necessary.”

“I disagree.” Jim changed his pattern, focusing on a single spot, striking it repeatedly until Ed was making gasping noises, yelping, and then he switched to the other side, giving it identical treatment.

“You can have the bed!” Ed was close to his breaking point, the hysteria rising in his voice. “Take it, please!”

“It’s not about the bed.” Jim wasn’t sure exactly what it was about, not anything he could put into words. Because he didn’t actually think that taking a murderous asylum inmate over his knee was going to have any real impact. But that didn’t change that it just felt right.

“ _Please_.” Ed made a small hiccupping sound, and then another. It took Jim a moment to realize they were sobs.

Jim felt a pang of guilt at that. Which was ridiculous, this was nothing compared to what Ed had done to others. He deserved so much worse.

But still, it was much easier to dish out justice when Ed was lashing out in anger, not when he was doing…that.

Jim gave him a few more swats, although not quite as hard as before, and then he stopped and released Ed’s wrist.

Ed made no move to get up, only buried his face in his hands and continued to make small wet huffing sounds.

It made Jim uncomfortable. Which probably wasn’t fair since he was the one that had done it to him. But he’d never liked tears. Didn’t like being the cause of them. Even when it involved Ed.

Jim lifted Ed’s thin frame just enough to slide out from beneath, and deposited him back on the bed.

He watched as Ed attempted to pull up his pants, only to stop with them half in place, and rolled over onto the flat pillow, sobbing pitifully.

Jim stood there for a moment, then he lifted the edge of the blanket and draped it over Ed’s lower half. He wasn’t exactly sure why.

It was then that he realized which bed Ed was on. The one that was supposed to be his.

Damn.

Well, he’d made his point, so he guessed it didn’t matter if Ed got his bed of choice. It wasn’t like he wanted to listen to Ed bitch about the vent anyway.

He didn’t understand what the big deal was about it anyway. The ventilation system wasn’t that loud. The background noise of the asylum was considerably more disruptive. Howls and clanging, words that couldn’t quite be made out and so sounded vaguely sinister, like whispers at the precinct when you’re the only cop not on some mobster’s payroll.

Despite its official purpose, Arkham really wasn’t a place he could see improving anyone’s mental health.

Ed’s sobs had quieted, and Jim wondered what he was thinking—no, not thinking, _plotting_. Ed was most certainly doing the latter. And that gave him pause. Before he hadn’t been particularly worried about Ed killing him in his sleep, because it wouldn’t be worth it, not when it was sure to bring repercussions down from above.

He wasn’t so certain of that now.

Jim moved to sit on the edge of his bed, the air from the vent blowing mustily down on him. Sleep no longer sounded like such a good idea, but there was little else he could think to do.

He glanced back towards the other bed and noticed that Ed had shifted just enough so that one eye was turned in his direction, peering over the edge of the pillow. Watching him.

Jim hoped Harvey and Lucius hurried because it was going to be a very long night.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> A huge thank you to [RowanBaines](http://archiveofourown.org/users/RowanBaines) for beta reading this! And to [goth_on_ham](http://archiveofourown.org/users/goth_on_ham/pseuds/goth_on_ham) for inspiring me to ship Jim/Ed in the first place (oh, and for convincing me that Ed could really use a good spanking XD)


End file.
